Mar 18, 2019
Today is Transit Driver Appreciation Day! We are honoring our hard-working operators, both bus and rail, for their dedicated work and tireless efforts to get the good people of Cuyahoga County to wherever they need to be.
Transit Appreciation Day was started in 2009 when Hans Gerwitz and Shannon E. Thomas posted a blog calling for a Bus Driver Appreciation Day. Transit-oriented blogs in Seattle, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., publicized the blog to create awareness. In 2013, TriMet in Portland established busdriverday.org, and in 2014 TriMet included rail operators and changed the name to Transit Driver Appreciation Day.
Being a public transit operator is not an easy job. Operators work all hours of the day, every day, all year, to provide service. They are out on the roads and rails operating oversized vehicles on weekends and holidays, navigating tight spaces, and dealing with unpredictable traffic, detours, and unusual occurrences (like water main breaks and trees blocking the rail). Operators also do this through inclement weather, whether it’s the usual Midwest winter or the Polar Vortex and 25 below temperatures earlier this year.
Our bus districts, Hayden and Triskett, Paratransit, and Rail District will be celebrating operators this week with food, festivities, and raffles. Operators will also be recognized for exceptional service over the last year.
Please take the time today on your commute to give a smile, wave hello, or say “thank you” to your operator! You can also share photos and stories on social media with the hashtags #tdad and #igorta.
Thank you for riding RTA!
